Welcome to the Pembrokeshire Historical Society

Few places in Wales can match Pembrokeshire for the richness and diversity of its historic monuments and prehistoric sites.

For thousands of years, the County has been the scene of dramatic and turbulent events which have left numerous tangible reminders in the landscape and thousands of hidden records beneath our feet. Pembrokeshire also possesses a rich archive of written material which brings to life the activities and deeds of those who once lived and fought here.

The richness of the archaeological record in particular suggests that Pembrokeshire was a favoured location during the prehistoric eras and far from being ‘remote’ was an important player in the western seaboard community. Being easily accessible by sea, much of its history has been shaped by surprisingly far-ranging trading links, the early spread of Christianity, and the medieval invasions, all of which have combined to forge Pembrokeshire’s distinctive character.

The Pembrokeshire Historical Society was formed to bring together people who share an interest in the fascinating story of Pembrokeshire and who care that our rich heritage is preserved for the future. The historical picture is expanding rapidly as geophysical surveys, more advanced dating methods, aerial reconnaissance and advances in archaeological forensic science are revealing new sites and causing others to be re-assessed. We aim to keep our members informed of important advances and new discoveries – our Journal in particular plays an important role in this process.

Our monthly winter talks cover a range of archaeological, social, cultural, military, maritime and industrial topics. In the summer we arrange field trips to sites of historic interest within the County and, whenever possible, to excavations currently in progress.

As a thriving society we are always keen to welcome new members and would be delighted to share our knowledge of Pembrokeshire with you. Our talks are also open to non-members on payment of small fee on the door, so if you would like to come along on a trial basis you would be most welcome.

THE JOURNAL INDEX

The Pembrokeshire Historical Society was founded in 1983, formed by the amalgamation of the Pembrokeshire Local History Society and the Pembrokeshire Record Society.Since 1985 the Society has produced an annual Journal containing carefully researched articles on every aspect of Pembrokeshire’s history and pre-history. The earlier editions of this publication from 1985 – 2005 can be found on the National Library of Wales website under ‘Welsh Journals on Line.’

The Journals from 2006 onwards can be accessed on this website and may be searched by keyword using the search icon above.

This digitisation has been made possible with funding from the Welsh Government LEADER programme and will, we believe, greatly enhance the value of our Journal by making its contents more accessible to local historians, scholars and interested readers both now and in the future.